Casino67 Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Independent.co.uk:Obama asks Saudis to airlift weapons into BenghaziBy Robert Fisk, Middle East CorrespondentMonday, 7 March 2011Saudi Arabia has not yet responded to a request from the US to supply weapons to rebels in LibyaSaudi Arabia has not yet responded to a request from the US to supply weapons to rebels in LibyaDesperate to avoid US military involvement in Libya in the event of a prolonged struggle between the Gaddafi regime and its opponents, the Americans have asked Saudi Arabia if it can supply weapons to the rebels in Benghazi. The Saudi Kingdom, already facing a "day of rage" from its 10 per cent Shia Muslim community on Friday, with a ban on all demonstrations, has so far failed to respond to Washington's highly classified request, although King Abdullah personally loathes the Libyan leader, who tried to assassinate him just over a year ago.Washington's request is in line with other US military co-operation with the Saudis. The royal family in Jeddah, which was deeply involved in the Contra scandal during the Reagan administration, gave immediate support to American efforts to arm guerrillas fighting the Soviet army in Afghanistan in 1980 and later – to America's chagrin – also funded and armed the Taliban.But the Saudis remain the only US Arab ally strategically placed and capable of furnishing weapons to the guerrillas of Libya. Their assistance would allow Washington to disclaim any military involvement in the supply chain – even though the arms would be American and paid for by the Saudis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SrWoodchuck Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Casino67! They could......just let the ATF......you know.....allow the weapons to go where they will.....and....observe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casino67 Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 Casino67! They could......just let the ATF......you know.....allow the weapons to go where they will.....and....observe! Dang, didn't think of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceRimmer Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Fisk is still around? I thought he went into hiding with Baghdad Bob in '03. The most virulently anti-American this side of the Islamofacsicts and NY Slimes, he has had a history of falling hook, line and sinker for anything people who dislike our country say, if he doesn't make it up himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SrWoodchuck Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 .....By Robert Fisk, Meddle East Correspondent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casino67 Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 Sort of staying on topic. What is the consensus here as to what we should do in Libya? Should the no-fly plan be implemented? What should we do? IMO, could we prevent mission creep after no-fly begins? Would Iran go full bore on trying to foment trouble in Iraq? Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepper Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Casino If NATO wants to, go for it but stay out as nation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SrWoodchuck Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Sort of staying on topic. What is the consensus here as to what we should do in Libya? Should the no-fly plan be implemented? What should we do? IMO, could we prevent mission creep after no-fly begins? Would Iran go full bore on trying to foment trouble in Iraq? Any thoughts? My thoughts: 1.)NATO establishes no-fly or we don't do anything. Meaning multi-nation participation in the prosecution of no-fly. We don't have the assets available in theater, and we would have to destroy all the Gaddafi air command & control [radar & SAM-sites] to establish no-fly. This might be a time to partner with friendly Arab nations [if any-Saudi?], with us providing oversight & intel [WACS] and them providing actual air assets to bomb. 2.) Absolutely no US "boots on the ground." SAS [brit] commando units have already been captured & are being held by the "rebels" which seem to include Egyptian military [incl. tanks,]Al Qaeda & MB irregular fighters. We are said to have some SEAL teams possibly in country for intelligence, and to aid egress for US & friendly nationals. The SAS teams were thought to have been inserted to remove any of Gaddafi's mass destruction assets. 3.) If Iran isn't already there with some assets, I'd be shocked. "...the enemy of my enemy is my friend..." includes Persians, but not Americans. 4.) Arming "rebels" with US weapons & technology is not a good idea [iMO,] but encouraging other Arab states to contribute weapons might be OK. [ as in Charlie Wilson's strategy to force the Soviets out of A-stan- but w/o "Stingers"] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casino67 Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 I was watching AlJazeera for a bit and could have sworn there was a pic of a 'rebel' with a Stinger over his shoulder. Was surprised to see it there already. Maybe stolen from one of the arms depots. Also read somewhere that NATO is already flying over Libya for intelligence on what is happening there. Will try to find the article again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepper Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Libya Crisis Map Preview of Libya maps via LeadDog Image 1.6 MB file: Current Situation at Ra´s Ajdir, Libya-Tunisia Border Crossing Facility (3 MAR 2011) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceRimmer Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 1.)NATO establishes no-fly or we don't do anything. Meaning multi-nation participation in the prosecution of no-fly. We don't have the assets available in theater, and we would have to destroy all the Gaddafi air command & control [radar & SAM-sites] to establish no-fly. This might be a time to partner with friendly Arab nations [if any-Saudi?], with us providing oversight & intel [WACS] and them providing actual air assets to bomb. I'd be surprised if NATO didn't already have satellites and recon aircraft mapping out the various airfields, hangars and other pro-Qaddafi military assets. If we do go for a no-fly zone, I completely agree that it has to be a multi-country operation. We're stretched about as far as we can go now in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that includes boots on the ground. One thing I would do first would be to hit them with cruise missle strikes before I send in a single fighter or bomber that could really hurt Qaddafi's forces. Of course, this all depends on what our Jellyfish-in-Chief decides to do, based, doubtlessly, on the wisdom of his pollsters, not the military. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evad Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Sort of staying on topic. What is the consensus here as to what we should do in Libya? Should the no-fly plan be implemented? What should we do? IMO, could we prevent mission creep after no-fly begins? Would Iran go full bore on trying to foment trouble in Iraq? Any thoughts? Sure. Let's consider the premise: Should the US do anything militarily about Libya? What country have they attacked? What national interest have they endangered that would allow us to constitutionally do anything? Why do we care about the outcome of a Libyan civil war? Is it better to have a despot or radical muslims running the show? Do we want to get bogged down in another shiite-hole like Afghanistan? I guess you can see what my opinion is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepper Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Evad We don't need no more stinkin' shiite-holes we need a rule: only one mess at a time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casino67 Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 A Libyan opposition forces fighter manages a mobile anti-aircraft gun in the city of Ajdabiya,160kms west of Benghazi, Libya on March 2, 2011. Gadhafi warned the West against intervening in the rebellion against his rule. UPI/Mohamaad Hosam Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2011/03/09/Egypt-aids-Libyan-rebels-against-Gadhafi/UPI-42161299696518/#ixzz1G8Hn14Bk I had mentioned that I had seen one of these on AlJazeera yesterday. Still wondering where they are getting them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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